Ramona Obafemi is no stranger to serving customers mouth-watering food and drinks.
The 35-year-old is, after all, the former owner of The Highlander Cafe Bus on Beach Boulevard, which offers one of the most unique eating experiences in the north-east.
Ramona owned the quirky cafe, set in a renovated double-decker bus, from late 2018 to October 2020, before starting a new chapter and opening Great Western Road-based store Mad Potato last summer.
But there were a number of aspects of cafe culture that Ramona, who resides in the city centre, missed dearly since passing on the bus business.
And the only way to resolve this was to open a brand new cafe in Aberdeen, known as Vibe.
Vibe: All you need to know
Vibe is based in the former Mad Potato building, on Great Western Road.
It opened its doors last Thursday (June 16) and boasts a maximum capacity of 20 people.
The refurbishment process started three weeks ago. Ramona completed most of it herself with help from friends and family.
“We wanted to create a lovely atmosphere where people can come and switch off from busy life,” Ramona said.
“I would say the cafe is a vibrant, fun, relaxed, and Instagrammable place. It is meant to give you a good vibe (hence the name).”
The cafe will offer an array of freshly-made bakes, including pastries and cakes, as well as a tasty brunch menu.
Ramona added: “Vibe currently has one full-time member of staff, but I have the intention of adding a second shortly.
“We will do most of the cooking and baking ourselves but we will probably work with a few local producers, too. As we work on the brunch menu, we will start adding local products.”
‘I missed the creativity’
Despite running Mad Potato, known for selling fresh fruit and vegetables sourced – predominantly from local farms – Ramona says it differs greatly from working in a cafe.
Mad Potato will soon open in a new location at Dobbies Garden Centre in Lang Stracht.
It boasts a team of two, but Ramona says “once we open again, the time will get bigger”.
“When Dobbies approached us, we wondered what we should do with the current space on Great Western Road once we open the market,” she added.
“We did not want to walk away as we grew close to quite a few people in the neighbourhood and liked the vibe of it, so we decided to keep it.
“Since leaving The Highlander Cafe Bus I missed the food and drink scene.
“Although somehow connected through the sale of fruits and veg, I missed the creativity, the vibe, and the feeling you get when people enjoy your food.
“I’m looking forward to working again in the kitchen, as well as meeting new people and trying my best to ensure they leave the cafe with a good vibe.”
Vibe also offers afternoon teas and is available for party hire.
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